1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data processing apparatus and an image forming apparatus that manage a data deletion history.
2. Description of Related Art
Image forming apparatuses, such as a digital multi-function apparatus that processes electronic data of a document by temporarily storing it in the storage section in the apparatus have been commercialized. A digital multi-function apparatus comprises a scanner unit for reading an image of a document and a printer unit for forming an image on paper, and has a plurality of functions, such as a copy function, facsimile function, scanner function and print function. Such a digital multi-function apparatus proposes the users to improve the operating efficiency and processing ability by positioning it as a data processing apparatus for efficiently processing data inputted from a plurality of interfaces on communication networks. Moreover, in a digital multi-function apparatus, a large-capacity storage device such as a hard disk is installed to enable input of various data and parallel processing of these data, and thus it is possible to receive a plurality of requests for data processing and process the data one after another.
In the storage device such as a hard disk, the data is written and is held temporarily for processing. After finishing the processing, when new data is inputted, the new data is received by deleting the already processed data by overwriting it. In this structure, since the processed data is left as it is in the device until new data is written, there is a problem in terms of data protection. Then, in recent years, in order to solve the problem associated with data remaining in the device, an apparatus that invalidates the processed data by deleting the data by itself was proposed (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 09-284572).
Thus, in a conventional digital multi-function apparatus, the apparatus automatically deletes the processed data by itself to prevent leakage of information. However, since the processed data is automatically deleted inside the apparatus regardless of the intention of the user, it is difficult for the user to confirm whether the data has been certainly invalidated. In some cases, the digital multi-function apparatus is caused to read and print personal information, and therefore, if the user psychology is taken into consideration, it is preferable to provide information proving that the invalidation process has been certainly performed. However, there is the problem that apparatuses capable of providing such information have not yet been proposed at present.